The present invention relates to testing kits designed to be used to test for the presence of microorganisms in aqueous solutions and suspensions. Water, one of society""s most important resources, is essential for the life of humans and animals. At times, however, water and foods containing deleterious microorganisms can be hazardous.
Many people every year are sickened, or worse yet, die due to consuming water and foods contaminated with microorganisms such as E. coli and salmonella. This is true for people who rely on well water as their source of drinking water, as well as for as people who drink water provided by a public utility. People are even sickened by playing in recreational waters containing harmful microorganisms. Hazardous microorganisms are a constant threat to humans and animals alike.
Present testing kits which test for microorganisms have numerous shortcomings. They test for one type of microorganism, while potentially missing many others. This gives a false sense of security to someone about to consume the suspect water or food material which has been tested with one of these devices and given the xe2x80x9call safexe2x80x9d signal. The individual might think the water or food is free of E. coli since the test detected no presence of this bacteria, while at the same time the water is loaded with salmonella bacteria. Further, some of the present devices are complicated and expensive to manufacture.
There is a need for a reliable, inexpensive, easy to use testing kit for detecting the presence of either a single or a plurality of microorganisms.
A testing kit to determine the presence of microorganisms in aqueous solutions, and to determine the presence of microorganisms in suspensions. The testing kit has a hand held apparatus containing at least one reaction chamber. Each reaction chamber contains a reactive agent to test for a predetermined microorganism or group of microorganisms. Each reaction chamber also prevents cross contamination between the plurality of reaction chambers, if any, contained in the plastic bag.